The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-02-04
"a gulf which Gay vaguely believed
would never be bridged over.

gave the girl courage. ~Insensibly the
conscious hluteur OF her manner
changed into q quiet indifference. She
answered without embarrassment,
looking straight at him as she spoke,
until at last she gained confidence
enough even to address him first.
When tea was brought in, Gay serv-
ed it and when, as he took the cup
from her hand, and their fingers touch.
ed, the grave eyes looking into his did
not swerve for a moment, though the
tell-tale color famed instantly into
her cheeks.
The conversation, which otherwise
might have been somewhat con-
strained, was carried on briskly
enough, for Aunt Judy was never 1T a
loss, and her delightful unconscious
ness of the situation soon put the
Others at their ease. Her interest in
and affection for her nephew increased
every moment for Theodore's ingenu-
Gus manner, his modesty and manli-
ness, were winning.
Although he had much to tell, he
spoke but little OF himself. He had
been working hard abroad, and need
ed rest, as his health was suffering.
Finding his native town busiiy en-.
gagged in holiday making. he had come
down to visit an old college friend OF
his at Leafy End, a village two or
three miles distant from Leafy Lane,
where he hoped to enjoy the quietude
that he needed.
Aunt Judy was all sympathy.
"Whak was the matter with him,
\ 49, GL~ Lnl -r~ oo~1 ALnN L.
was delicate" And then she begged
to know the symptoms, as she had
certain cures for everything in her
medicine chest.
But Theodore laughed and waived
the question saying that the country
air had done him good already, and
that he hoped to stay until he was
really quite well.
Theodore Marston did stay. For a
! whole week he came and went, flash.
:, through the dreariness of "Ennui
/ House" like a sun ray or q snatch of
song. Many a walk the had-he and
Gabrielle round the old-fashioned
garden, but Aunt Judy was always be-
tween them; and when, in the moon
light, Gabrielle sat singing at the piano
the songs were always Aunt Judy's
favorites, while the good old lady
herself sat wide awake in the big arm
| chair, beating time with her knitting.
needle. So the barrier remained,
while they seemed content to accept
it's exietence, looking calmly at each
other across it, if they would not
have it other wise.
But at last there came day when
Gabrielle, having escorted her aunt
to a sewing meeting at a friends house
about half O mile away, and having
kissed her little glo~ed hands through
the great gate, turned-and found her
self face to face with Theodore
Marston.
They shook hands in silence.
"Aunt Judy's gone to asewing meet
ing. She didn't take me because [
don't sew well enough" said Gay in
hurried explanation.
~ am going your way; may j walk
with your" said Theodore, in answer.
"On certainly, if you like" and she
slakened her pace a little.
''It's a lovely day, isn't it?" said he
grimly.
"Yes; the summer has begun we'll
enough. We shall have dog roses out
soon,' said she.
Eyes, / see," looking on the ground
as he spoke.
They walked tor some minutes in
silence.
"How much longer is this togo on2'
he broke out at last. Have we not
dissembled long enough? Forgive me,
Gay" seeing her startled look, 'but ]
cannot attain to your unimpassioned
philosophy"
The color came and went in Gabri-
elle's cheeks. She looked down, but
made no reply.
"You despise me; / know you do.
For four whole years | have striven
with my passion, for four whole years
it has been my LIES endeavor to efface
the memory of you, and the end of it
is that | have come back again, meek,
submissive, humbled, fawning at your
feet. Think what you will ofme-you
never thought too well-but don't
send me away again. Although you
have wronged me-, j love you still"-
Wrcnged your" cried Gay, looking
up at him with a sudden blaze in her
eyes. IL do not understand YOU"
"You do not understand me?" he
repeated slowly; then / will explain.
Four years ago, il you remember. you
were graciously pleased to treat me
as your friend. loved you from the
first, and took no pains to conceal
my thoughts. / believed that you
loved me. came one day TO tell you
everything. / found you in ardent
conversation with a-a gentleman.
He was bending over you and holding
your hand. saw Won lay Your other |